Elements of Effective Case Notes for Social Work

If a colleague has ever faced a professional lawsuit, you likely heard them either lamenting their note-taking habits or thanking the stars for them. Writing effective case notes (a.k.a. progress notes) for social work serves more than the purpose of record-keeping, however. Yes, detailed notes are necessary to satisfy legal requirements, but notes are an […]

Trauma Narratives in Mental Health Counseling

We all have events in our past that we’d like to forget. Whether the trauma is “little t” or “big T,” one of the primary tasks of therapists is to help clients process and deal with memories and triggers. Memories from “little t” traumas like a major car accident, bullying, and the loss of a […]

Understanding Therapy Billing Units for Mental Health

Most therapists have a love-hate relationship with billing. Billing gets you paid! But billing can also be a headache, especially if you aren’t yet familiar with all of the payer requirements. Understanding and optimizing your billing process will make your practice healthier and will provide you with peace of mind that you’re being reimbursed appropriately. […]

Easy and Effective Child Group Therapy Activities

Human beings have evolved to live, work, and relate to each other within a collective group. For this reason, the social support component embedded within group therapy is a key ingredient in its effectiveness. Unlike individual therapy, group therapy taps into the power of community, providing opportunities for self-acceptance and growth that are difficult to […]

Exceptional Ideas for Child Art Therapy

Art therapy is a proven way of helping children express and process their feelings. But art therapy is also commonly misunderstood. Although in recent years coloring books and activities for all ages have gained in popularity as a self-soothing or mindfulness tool, none of these activities would qualify as art therapy in its clinical definition. […]

Play Therapy Techniques for Divorce

Divorce is one of the most common adverse early life experiences a child is likely to experience. In fact, 40 to 50 percent of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce according to a recent article published by the APA. And a majority of those divorces occur in families with minor children. While most of […]

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT): A Unique Approach to Pediatric Mental Health

For over 40 years, therapists have been using Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to build healthy connections between parents and their children. In fact, with over 300 publications citing PCIT, this approach is one of the most well-researched, evidence-based practices in the field of pediatric mental health today. Its unique approach uses live coaching sessions guided […]

Top Therapeutic Techniques (+ Activity Ideas) for Pediatric Mental Health

For struggling children and their families, therapy offers hope and reassurance that things can change. Evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy are effective for people of all ages, but pediatric therapists have a special mission to tailor these techniques for children and adolescents. Child therapy techniques provide kids and their caregivers […]

Denial Management Best Practices

According to the Healthcare Financial Management Association, roughly 65 percent of all denials are not resubmitted. Healthcare providers are not getting reimbursed for all the services they’re providing, leaving money on the table. Often, this is a result of therapists and other providers not having an organized process to manage denials effectively. In this post, […]

How to Pick Malpractice Insurance for Your Therapy Practice

As a therapist, you face challenging situations regularly. You encounter clients who may be suicidal, children who may be being abused, and learn information in confidence that may pose a threat to someone else’s life. Knowing where the line lies that designates when action should be taken isn’t always clear, exposing you to risk. And […]